Go anywhere, we strap them on our backs..."
Are you a child of the eighties too? If so, I hope my reminiscing brings back a few fond memories.
TV:
- despite having 2.5 channels (CKOS, CICC, and sometimes CKND), I loved TV. Who didn't? My favourite sitcoms were Family Ties, Night Court, Cosby Show, MASH, Jeffersons, Who's the Boss (with Alyssa Milano!!!), Wonder Years, etc.
My favourite action shows were Magnum PI, Dukes of Hazzard, Simon and Simon, Moonlighting, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and TJ Hooker (with Heather Locklear!!!).
My favourite cartoons were from the first half of the decade. There was Inspector Gadget, Captain Caveman, Smurfs, Ewoks, Droids, and a few others.
Although I intensely hate the modern WWF, WCW, etc., I enjoyed the goofy wrestlers from the eighties, especially on "Stampede Wrestling". My favourite wrestlers were Junkyard Dog (RIP), Brutus Beefcake, Andre the Giant (RIP), Jake the Snake, Greg the Hammer Valentine, and the Baron Von Rashke.
I used to be fascinated by Video Hits with Samantha Taylor. I didn't even like most of the songs. But hey, it was the dawn of a new age.
Music:
Music is what gets us all very nostalgic. My favourite pop groups were The Outfield, Petra, Loverboy, Men at Work, Def Leppard, U2, Rush, and many one-hit-wonders.
Deep down, I was always a banger. My favourite metal bands were Saint and Ratt, followed by Stryper, Bride, Whitecross, Motley Crue, and Cinderella.
Style and Trends:
Not unlike today, I was not very trend oriented. I sometimes caught them on the way out, if at all.
If you've never seen or worn Pacesetter sweats, you won't get it. They were skin tight and had a thick stripe down the leg. Some were green or blue with a yellow stripe and looked dreadful. I got black and red Pacesetters right about the time they became uncool.
I really like the tie dye years. What's not to like about odd-coloured blotches and streaks on your shirts and pants? Until only recently, I had a really hideous "Grand Beach Club" shirt with purple streaks.
Equally delightful was the age of neon. I had the loudest swim trunks ever (bright yellows and greens). Unfortunately, sometimes they were see-through as well.
It was a decade of wacky hair-styles. Feathered hair for both genders was so cool. I wanted to feather mine but it just wouldn't go. My favourite was hockey hair (quite long in back, short on sides and top). We hockey players were the real studs, eh? Around that time guys grew tails. Their hair was normal length except for a glob of hair at the back which was sometimes very long. It was supposed to resemble a "tail", but it was often referred to as a "fag tag." In junior high, the girls went through the crimping thing. I remember thinking it looked horrid. It could turn a fox into a dog in just minutes. Then came their fascination with their bangs. It seemed the higher, the better. (What was this style called?) It looked like huge sideways fins over their foreheads. What-ever!
Here are more links for those Stuck-in-the-Eighties types like myself.
- 80's Flashback - 80's TV Heaven - 80s.com